Nebraska Natives Shine in Loss to Gophers

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln-The 10th-ranked Nebraska men's gymnastics team dropped another tough contest against No. 8 Minnesota, 205.45-213.55, as the Huskers continued to battle injuries. NU fell to 0-3 at home this season after the Sunday afternoon dual in the Bob Devaney Sports Center.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

“I’m really pleased with our score,” Nebraska Coach Francis Allen said. “We were missing lots of guys from our regular line up.  If we had a healthier team, I know we would have pulled through.”

 

Nebraska was only able to pull together a full six-man lineup on just three events, as several injuries plagued the Huskers. New competitors appeared in many lineups for the first time this season, including freshmen Adrion Hernandez (floor exercise and vault) and Stefan Wallof (vault).

 

“I was happy to see Adrion come through,” Allen said. “It’s really inspiring for him to go out there and compete his hardest.  It also inspires me to know that we have such young competitors coming up and gaining experience.”

 

Despite the injury battle, two Huskers cracked their way into the top-three all-around results.  Senior Jason Wassung placed second behind Minnesota’s Jacob Lee with a season-high all-around score of 52.95, while junior Stephen Tetrault placed third with a score of 51.40.

 

Nebraska opened the meet on floor exercise with a score of 35.00.  The Huskers were led by Wassung, who earned a season-high score of 9.20, and sophomore T.J. Schmidt who notched a career-best score of 8.65.  Hernandez, a regular on the high bar for the Huskers, earned a score of 8.2 on his first floor exercise routine. 

 

The Huskers then continued on to the pommel horse in the second rotation.  Despite several falls, NU was able to outscore the Gophers 34.15-33.45.  Nebraska was led by Schmidt who claimed his fourth pommel horse title of the season with a score of 9.00, while Tetrault placed second with a score of 8.85.  Sophomore James Mauldin posted a career-best 7.75, while freshman John Robinson tied a career-best score of 7.65.

 

Despite losing freshman Tony Maras, a strong still ring competitor, to injury, two Huskers were able to post career-best scores on still rings in the third rotation as Nebraska tallied a score of 34.30. Freshmen Robinson and Stefan Wallof posted scores of 8.30 and 8.25, respectively, for their season- and career-best scores.

 

NU struggled on the vault in the fourth rotation, mounting a team score of 33.45, nearly two points behind Minnesota’s vault score (35.60).  Despite the struggle, Wassung finished third in the event with a score of 8.75.  Both Wallof and Hernandez posted career-best scores of 8.15 and 8.20, respectively.

 

The Huskers entered the fifth rotation on parallel bars six points behind the Gophers.  Nebraska pulled together a total score of 34.10, as Schmidt placed third with a score of 9.00.

 

The Huskers finished the meet with a score of 34.45 on the high bar behind Wassung, who topped the event with a score of 9.40, but the late surge wouldn’t be enough to top the Gophers, who improved to 13-16-1 all-time against NU. 

 

Next weekend, Nebraska will return to Lincoln to host its final meet of the 2007 regular season as it welcomes Air Force to the BobDevaneySportsCenter on Saturday, March 17 at 7 p.m. Nebraska seniors Jon Charter and Jason Wassung will be honored following the meet in a special Senior Night ceremony.

 

“We’re just trying to pull together a competitive team for next weekend against Air Force,” Allen said.  “We also have the conference championships coming up and I hope we pull together a healthy, competitive team.”

 

Team Results                            Score

1. Minnesota                             213.55             

2. Nebraska                               205.45

 

All-Around                                 Score

1. Jacob Lee (UM)                      53.80

2. Jason Wassung (NU)              52.95

3. Stephen Tetrault (NU) 51.40

 

Event Results (Top Three Only)

 

Floor Exercise                           Score

1. Adam Reichow (UM)               9.40

2. Andre Berry (UM)                   9.40

3. Edward Campbell (UM)           9.35

 

Pommel Horse                           Score

1. TJ Schmidt (NU)                     9.00

2. Stephen Tetrault (NU)             8.85

3. Kit Beikmann (UM)                 8.60

 

Still Rings                                 Score

1. Mitchell Mays (UM)                9.30

2. Jacob Lee (UM)                      9.05

3. Steven Vuong (UM)                8.95

 

Vault                                         Score

1. Mitchell Mays (UM)                9.20

2. Colin McGuire (UM)                8.95

3. Jason Wassung (NU)              8.75

 

Parallel Bars                              Score

1. Jacob Lee (UM)                      9.40

2. Sergie Dmitriev (UM)               9.20

3. TJ Schmidt (NU)                     9.00

   

High Bar                                    Score

1. Jason Wassung (NU)              9.40

2. Jacob Lee (UM)                      9.10 

3. Aaron Fortunato (UM)             9.05